The hire of Jerrance Howard as the newest assistant at Illinois had everyone talking and message boards buzzing. Chicago high school coaches, AAU coaches and virtually everyone else have given their take on the situation. However, the most important people are the kids that Howard will be forging a relationship with in the near future. One such player is 2009 guard D.J. Richardson of Peoria Central.

Richardson has a unique perspective on the hire of Howard, as he is the latest star from Peoria Central, which is also the alma mater of Howard.

"I just found out about it this afternoon," Richardson said Wednesday night.